Darren,
If you live in the UK can you get access to the electoral rolls? I would start with Airdrie and find other people living at the same residence. If you are looking for someone who was a child in the '70's you'll have to look for people living at that same address.
Have you google'd them? Google also the people living in the same house.
Have you tried www.freebmd.org.uk? This is births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales. I don't believe it includes Scotland. Look for deaths of the parents or other family members in freebmd for Durham. Then look in FindAGrave.com or Billiongraves.com to see if they are there.
If there is a possibility in FreeBMD Deaths, try the phone books and street directories for that district and that year. You never know. Another thing is newspapers for births, deaths, and mariages. There is a lot of work involved in this.
Good Luck
Rosemary